MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Anglo-Argentine rock band “The Draytones” to play in the Falklands

The cover of one their records

“The Draytones”, an Anglo-Argentine rock group currently touring Argentina is scheduled to play in the Falkland Islands later this month. The group which was started in 2006 is made up of Gabriel Boccazzi, 33, and three Brits, Luke Richardson, Chris Le Good and Andy Pickering.

Guitarist Gabriel established in London in 2002 hoping to advance on his musical talents in the land of The Beatles, The Who, The kinks among other bands he followed as a teenager. Now relatively consolidated and with a name in rock culture he is back in Argentina with “The Draytones” and last Friday played at a festival in Buenos Aires with great success and good press coverage.

“I’m interested in peace. People don’t decide on war, on hate”, Gabriel is quoted by the Buenos Aires press on his plan to play in the Falklands. In his shirt he wears a small crest with the two flags crossed: the Union Jack and the Argentine emblem.

“I’m very curious about visiting the Islands, I want to see the scenery, meet the people” admits Gabriel who also reveals he was spurred by a Malvinas war veteran and rock fan, Gabriel Sagastume, 47, who suggested the idea of a concert to “help integrate both cultures”.

Sagastume who has been to the Falklands, came across in Internet with a record from The Draytones with the crossed flags on the cover. The now prosecutor confesses “I thought it was a fantastic idea that of the flags. I immediately identified with the group and wrote to them saying that we couldn’t hate people whose good music we love so much”.

The group is scheduled to arrive in the Falklands on November 14th and will be playing in a couple of pubs next to the “Fighting Pigs” a local band. They are also planning to play in Goose Green. A concert in Mount Pleasant still has to receive the green light from the military.

The Draytones are expected on November 28th at La Trastienda Club in San Telmo, an iconic quarter from the city of Buenos Aires.